Horizontal target bar and hooked projectile

ABSTRACT

A game of skill generally similar to quoits or horseshoes having a projectile to be tossed toward a scoring stake having a horizontal section, said projectile having a handle provided with hooks projecting longitudinally from one end and which are capable of interlocking with said scoring stake. If desired the hooks on the projectile may be distinctively marked with scoring indicia.

United States Patent 1 Monaco [54] HORIZONTAL TARGET BAR AND HOOKED PROJECTILE [76] Inventor: Frank P. Monaco, 19 Longmeadow I Road, Shelton, Conn. 06484 [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 182,375

52 11.5. C1 ..273/95 R, 273/106 R, 273/102 R,

294/66 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 71/04 [58] Field of Search ..273/95 R, 100, 106 R; 114/206-210; 294/26, 66 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,858,941 5/1932 Salmon ..294/66 R 2,076,010 4/1937 String ..273/100 2,797,924 7/1957 Stewart ..273/106 R 3,595,578 7/1971 Burcenski 82,940 10/1868 Habberly ..1 14/207 3,602,509 8/1971 Curtiss ..273/100 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney.lames T. Kline et a1.

57 ABSTRACT A game of skill generally similar to quoits or horseshoes having a projectile to be tossed toward a scoring stake having'a horizontal section, said projectile having a handle provided with hooks projecting longitudinally from one end and which are capable of interlocking with said scoring stake. If desired the hooks on the projectile may be distinctively marked with scoring indicia.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 81915 3,731,931

INVENTOR.

M 2 [Z a/2k P/Wa/mcv HORIZONTAL TARGET BAR AND HOOKEI) PROJECTILE Heretofore, games of this type have employed a circular quoit or U-shaped flat projectile which was tossed toward a vertical stake to produce a score of predetermined value for a ringer, for a leaner or for the closest projectile to the stake. While these have required a substantial skill in the playing of the game to win, it has become discouraging to less skillful players who recognized that skill is a major factor in accomplishing the desired result.

The present invention is an improvement on the prior game in that a greater skill is required to score with a projectile and stake of the present invention.

Furthermore, it is possible to inject into the game an element of chance to affect the scoring which increases the interest for players who may not be as skillful as their opponents.

This is accomplished by having a scoring stake including a horizontal section and a projectile provided with a handle, preferably an elongate, longitudinally extending handle, having a plurality of hooks at one end with the plurality of hooks each having tips forming an opening facing the handle, said opening being of a size which will enable one or more hooks of the projectile to interlock with the horizontal section of the scoring stake when tossed or pitched thereto.

The game can have injected therein an element of chance by providing different indicia on the projectile hooks. Preferably the indicia on the hooks have different scoring values and the value of the hook or hooks which engages and interlocks with the horizontal section of the scoring stake doubles and indicates the value of the toss. If no hook interlocks with the stake,

then the closest projectile, preferably within a projectile length from the stake, will have the value of the hook projecting upwardly from the projectile. Thus it will be seen that not only is the position of the projectile with respect to the scoring stake controlling, but the scoring indicia on the effective projectile hook also has a bearing on the score, thus injecting into the game a matter of chance as well as skill. The player first reaching a predetermined score is declared the 'winner.

The device of the present invention is simple in construction, easy to manipulate and can be used indoors or outdoors by adults or children playing the game with equal facility.

Preferably, the handle of the projectile of the present invention is relatively heavy and when the projectile is tossed, the handle will assume a forward position to present the open ends of the hooks toward the stake to facilitate their hooking over the horizontal section of the scoring stake. Also, the handles are preferably marked with identifying indicia so that the projectiles for each player can be readily recognized.

While the stakes and the projectiles can be made of high impact plastics, they are preferably made of metal. The scoring stakes can be readily assembled and the vertical sections easily inserted into the ground or provided with securing means and mounted on a floor or other solid supporting structure.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the position of the respective game elements in use.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a projectile of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a scoring position with two hooks interlocked with the horizontal section of the scoring stake.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with one hook interlocked with the horizontal section of the scoring stake.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a projectile in scoring position with no hooks interlocked with the scoring stake.

While the game of the present invention can be played by one or more persons using one or more similarly spaced scoring stakes, it is herein illustrated as having two spaced scoring stakes A and B. The scoring stakes are substantially the same and have a horizontal scoring section 10 located a predetermined distance above the ground or supporting surface.

While this horizontal section can be supported by a single vertical section or post, it is herein illustrated in its preferred form as being supported by a pair of posts 11 with the horizontal section 10 passing through a hole 11a in each post and held in position by suitable means, such as a spring clip 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the scoring stakes are located a predetermined distance apart and have the horizontal sections 10 spaced at a predetermined distance from the supporting surface and facing one another.

The projectile of the present invention comprises an elongate handle having a plurality of hooks extending axially from one end of the handle and projecting radially of said axis, with each hook having a tip forming an open end facing the handle. In the illustrated form of the invention three hooks 21, 22 and 23 are employed which extend from an elongate handle 20 and are located l20 apart about the axis of the handle.

The elongate handle 20 of the projectile is long enough so as to be readily grasped when being tossed and may have indicia 20a thereon so that each player can identify his projectile. The handle is sufficiently heavy to assume a leading position, as shown in FIG. 1, when the projectile is tossed toward a scoring stake so as to present the open end 21a, 22a, 23a of the hooks formed by the tips 21b, 22b, 23b of the hooks in a position to be hooked or interlocked with a horizontal section of the scoring stake.

If desired, an element of chance can be injected into the game by providing the hooks with a distinctive scoring indicia. While the indicia may be of any desired type, it is illustrated as being applied to the tips 21b, 22b, 23b of the hooks as a coating or a cover of a different color 21c, 22c and 230, each having a predetermined scoring value. For example, indicia 21c can be white and indicate a single scoring point. Indicia 220 can be red and indicate two scoring points. indicia 230 can be blue and indicate a scoring value of three points.

In playing the game, the players or opponents each preferably start with two projectiles. They stand adjacent one scoring stake such as B, and alternately toss or pitch the projectiles, preferably underhand, toward the other scoring stake A and attempt to cause the hooks to engage and interlock or hook onto the horizontal section 10 of stake A. When the hooks interlock with the horizontal portion of the scoring stake, the value of the interlocked tip is doubled. For example, in FIG. d, the two hooks 21, 22 are interlocked at the scoring stake and each would double its value so that the value of the hook 21 would become two points and the value of hook 22 would become four points and added together would give a total of six points for the toss. In FIG. 5 only the hook 23 interlocked with the horizontal stake. This would double its value and become six points.

Should a projectile of each player hook the horizontal section of the scoring stake, then the lower value will be subtracted from the higher value and the net indicated as the score for that toss.

Should none of the hooks interlock with the horizontal stake, then the projectile within a projectile length of and closest to the scoring stake wins and has a value shown by the uppermost hook. For example, in FIG. 6 the projectile would be supported on the surface by hooks 22, 23 with the hook 21 projecting upwardly. This uppermost hook would have a value of 1 and determine the points scored for the toss.

The play continues with the players alternately tossing the projectiles at scoring stakes A and B. The winner is the player who first achieves a predetermined number of points.

While the foregoing sets forth one method of playing and scoring the game, it will be recognized that the game of the present invention lends itself readily to modification of the rules and scoring as may be dictated by the circumstances under which it is played.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A game of skill comprising a scoring stake adapted to be mounted in predetermined position, said scoring stake having a horizontal section supported a predetermined distance above the supporting surface, and a plurality of game projectiles adapted to be tossed from a spaced position facing said horizontal section toward said scoring stake, each of said projectiles having a handle and at least three equispaced hooks projecting from one end of said handle, said equi-spaced hooks having an opening facing said handle, said opening being of a size which will enable the equi-spaced hooks ofa tossed projectile to receive and be interlocked with said horizontal section of the stake.

2. A game of skill comprising a plurality of scoring stakes adapted to be mounted in predetermined spaced position, each of said scoring stakes comprising a horizontal section supported a predetermined distance above the supporting surface and facing the other scoring stake, and a plurality of game projectiles adapted to be tossed from adjacent one scoring stake toward said other scoring stake, each of said projectiles having an elongate handle and a plurality of hooks projecting axially from one end of said handle, each hook having a tip forming an opening spaced from and facing the end of said handle, said opening being ofa size which will enable the hook ofa tossed projectile to receive and be interlocked with said horizontal section of the stake.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the scoring stake includes a pair of spaced vertical posts and said horizontal section is supported thereby and extends therebetween.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the projectile has a longitudinal axis and the plurality of hooks extend axially and are disposed in spaced relation about said axis.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein there are three hooks spaced about said axis.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle has projectile-identifying indicia thereon.

7. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said hooks have distinctive scoring indicia thereon.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said scoring indicia is applied to the tip of the hook.

9. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said ,handle is heavy and assumes a leading position when tossed whereby the openings of the hooks are in position to be hooked on said horizontal section of the stake. 

1. A game of skill comprising a scoring stake adapted to be mounted in predetermined position, said scoring stake having a horizontal section supported a predetermined distance above the supporting surface, and a plurality of game projectiles adapted to be tossed from a spaced position facing said horizontal section toward said scoring stake, each of said projectiles having a handle and at least three equispaced hooks projecting from one end of said handle, said equi-spaced hooks having an opening facing said handle, said opening being of a size which will enable the equi-spaced hooks of a tossed projectile to receive and be interlocked with said horizontal section of the stake.
 2. A game of skill comprising a plurality of scoring stakes adapted to be mounted in predetermined spaced position, each of said scoring stakes comprising a horizontal section supported a predetermined distance above the supporting surface and facing the other scoring stake, and a plurality of game projectiles adapted to be tossed from adjacent one scoring stake toward said other scoring stake, each of said projectiles having an elongate handle and a plurality of hooks projecting axially from one end of said handle, each hook having a tip forming an opening spaced from and facing the end of said handle, said opening being of a size which will enable the hook of a tossed projectile to receive and be interlocked with said horizontal section of the stake.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the scoring stake includes a pair of spaced vertical posts and said horizontal section is supported thereby and extends therebetween.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the projectile has a longitudinal axis and the plurality of hooks extend axially and are disposed in spaced relation about said axis.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein there are three hooks spaced 120* about said axis.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle has projectile-identifying indicia thereon.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said hooks have distinctive scoring indicia thereon.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said scoring indicia is applied to the tip of the hook.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle is heavy and assumes a leading position when tossed whereby the openings of the hooks are in position to be hooked on said horizontal section of the stake. 